Eriska, Scottish Island

Alive and kicking

After the usual mad rush to open it is back to normal work, that's out of scruffy clothes,refurbishment mentality and strange hours of work with evenings off and back iinto collar and tie and normal hours of work with some time off in the afternoon and evenings back in the hotel. At least that's what Dibley the dog thinks as now he gets his walks in daylight and having spent most of last week inside he is now able to get back to exploring the island as I walk round to see whats needing to be done.

Its also funny as although there is activity, and I hope lots of it given the bills, in January the island does not really seem normal. Everyone in January seems to be going places with a purpose and it is therefore nice today to bump into guests wandering and exploring Eriska with no real timetable or schedule and deadline in mind.  I always stress that Eriska is a unique combination of three factors- the place, the staff and the guests and that is never more evident than the first night back when suddenly the house seems to have a new burst of life and it seems to come alive.  

So off we go for our 35 season operating Eriska and although we are all expecting a long hard year, especially if we believe the paper, there also seems to be a real optimism and excitement among the team that we are well placed to deal with the situation, (they obviously have not seen the recent bank statement) and that our destiny is in our hands with a great facility and great potential. My job now is simply to provide the guests, their job to look after them and then hopefully they will all continue to return. Well lets see!

Ready to open- Just

Well we knew that the schedule was tight- not only for the work in the diningroom but also for all the bits we needed on site. We have been both helped by the slow down in the economy and hindered. Helped as the company who fittted the cellar and bar area were not so busy so could drop everything to meet our tight schedule anmd deliver the work on time.

Hindered because the company making the chairs had cut their stock so much they had to make the chairs from scratch when a year ago they would have had all the frames on the peg ready to go.

 

So today we opened for a trial to check everything was working. Fortunately i had not sold teh chairs without the new ones being here so we are nearly finished with the chairs due next week. But it is better the chairs were late considering last night I was planning on how the diningroom could survive without the lights- however no need to panic as they turned up this morning and are all working fine!

So off we go for another year- the 36th year at Eriska! 

January- Really quiet with nothing happening!!

This morning when I was speaking to a guest on the phone he happened to say that it must be really quiet and peaceful here at Eriska with no guests. Clearly he could not hear all the commotion in the background as countdown to reopening reaches a crushendo. Cement mixers at the back door completing the last of the tasks before we are ready for the off, 6 Hoovers all flat out clearing any remainders of the decorators, ladders and trestles in the dining room working on the new curtains and lost of helpers putting everything back to normal.

We have already reopened the stables and the new tiling and entrance to the steam room and sauna looks great and drains properly which is even more important. When the pool was installed it was the only real area we did not quite achieve the correct gradient and therefore water tended to puddle, last year when we refurbished the steamroom and sauna we ran out of time and therefore this year we left ourselves plenty of time to get it right. Although it looks as though little has changed we did in fact have to dig up about 8 inches of concrete over a 6m2 area and then relaid the whole area.

But like everything part of the sign of success is that none really notices what was done because it works or so I convince myself. Lets hope that changes in the dining room are not noticed by those who opposed them and welcomed by those who encouraged them!

Weather wc 25th January

Having been offline for the last couple of weeks and personally having been out of the country, first on holiday and then on business I have become aware that the weather is no longer the most important talking point, although it affects us all and in particular it changes our moods and temperament. Over the last two weeks I have seen a huge range of weather from wonderful bright sunshine to freezing cold ice and snow and in reality it is actually really nice to get back to Scotland and the less erratic conditions, or so I thought, until I was driving home yesterday and was faced with a combination of wonderful sunshine and clear skies to driving snow and freezing conditions when I could not see 2 yards in front of my face. Well the good news is that it is about to get better!

Sunday: Cloudy with outbreaks of rain, sleet and snow, any lying snow mainly over higher ground. Becoming dry and brighter during the morning, a few sunny breaks possible in the afternoon. However, the risk of the odd showerbut definitely easing winds.

Monday: Mostly staying dry, but the risk of the showers, particularly around the coast. Patchy low cloud, frost and fog developing. Winds mostly light. 

Tuesday: Mainly dry and bright, occasional sunny spells possible. However, patchy fog and low cloud slow to clear as winds remain light.

Wednesday : Cloudy with outbreaks of rain and hill snow, becoming drier and brighter from the west on

Thursday. Bright and sunny spells with much warmer conditions

Friday:Drier start to the day but further rain and hill snow may push in overnight.

Saturday : The weather looks set to remain unsettled until the end of January with spells of wet and windy weather, as frontal systems move in from the west. The rain heavy at times, especially in northern and western areas, where the wind is likely to reach gale force at times.

 

Dining progression

Whilst in many ways the hotel is currently a lonely soulless place due to the peace and quiet in the evening, it is also a bustling hive of activity during the day. Our maintenance team are hard at work and by lunchtime on Monday the carpets had been lifted, the lights removed and wallpaper stripping was well underway. However it still remains a bit eerie with no curtains and carpet to deaden the sounds and only the wooden floor to echo as we walk through. Already the conservatory is looking changed with its new paneling on the wall and all the woodwork has been cleaned down in the main room. the next tradesmen on site will be the decorators and as they start in the conservatory we will all move to the main dining room. The joiners were in yesterday to measure up for the new wine cellar and seem to be confident that they can provide the necessary work on schedule, the curtains and blinds are to be measured today and by the weekend Chay believes that phase one will be complete and the decorators will then have a week to finish in the main dining room.

As with all projects like this timing is crucial especially as each trade relies on another to complete and no one likes working with another just in case blame is required- or so it seems. Anyway we will not be moving the carpets, lights or chairs from the building until their replacements arrive. Confident but just in case!!

Eriska Pauses for winter

No sooner has the last guest left from our Seasonal festivities, we have a moment to catch our breath and then we are off again.This year we have chosen to close the doors for guests for less than three weeks and as ever it will be a packed three weeks. On Monday morning the builders and decorators arrive, hopefully after a good relaxing break as they have a mountain of work to achieve and a schedule which has little time for delay.

In the stables and pool area we are retiling the area in front of the sauna and steam room, this involves lifting the current tiles and relaying the floor- really the only area we misjudged in 1993 as it tends to keep water standing if heavily used. We will then lay new drains and complete the retiling of the area in a matching tile to the current steam room. In the main house we have the work to carry out in the dining room- repainting the conservatory and rebuilding the new wine area. Outside the house we have the completion of our new cellar, a slight change in the driveway approach to the front door and plenty of winter maintenance work on the gold course to achieve.

At the same time we also have a long list of tasks we have so far accumulated that can only be concluded when the house is empty, like painting corridors and public rooms and any banging or crashing that residents tend to deter. At the same time the office remains fully staffed and ready to answer questions and hopefully reservation inquiries. So its all closed and all hands to the pumps once again!

Happy New Year

Well 2008 was in most peoples eyes a tumultuos year and we can only hope and wish for a calmer next 12 months. That said the weather ended last year with bright dry conditions and we awaoke this morning to a wonderful winter scene with thick frost and white glistening icicles.  However with this comes its own issues as there is not a cloud in the sky nor a breath wind and therefore it seems unlikely our normal New Years day golf competition will have to be postponed. In truth this is only the second time in 15 years we have had to hold it over.

In previous years we may have been nearly thwarted by the strong gales and howling rain but have always   endeavoured to complete the course however it looks like we will have to hold off a day and wish for warmer conditions and a good days play tomorrow. It will be espoecially memorable as my mother has donated a wonderful pewter salver for the chmapion and I know that several of our New Years guest are keen to get their hands and mor eimportantly name on the trophy for the first time.

So whilst we wish all a Happy New Year, we secretly wish for a wee bit warmer and milder weathe at least for thenet 24 hours!!